NAWILIWILI — Bonjolea II, with Bonnie Tiffany behind the big wheel, cleared the start line early and never looked back during the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Gene Wells Memorial Series, Race No. 4 that unfolded at Nawiliwili Harbor on Thursday, Sept. 26.
NAWILIWILI — Bonjolea II, with Bonnie Tiffany behind the big wheel, cleared the start line early and never looked back during the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Gene Wells Memorial Series, Race No. 4 that unfolded at Nawiliwili Harbor on Thursday, Sept. 26.
Bonjolea II was first to head to the Ninini Point buoy in the 4.4-mile race that was blanketed by a light 8- to 9-knot wind whispering from the northeast.
“Bonjolea II was the first boat to tack out of the harbor to head for the Ninini Lighthouse buoy,” said Chris Jordan, skipper aboard OZone. “Speedy tacked out next after going a little further, and OZone waited a little longer before tacking out just beyond Speedy. Double Espresso tacked on the same line as OZone.”
Following the rounding of the G-11 buoy located near the Coast Guard station, OZone decided to tack early to avoid a couple of paddlers.
“This hurt them a lot as they were now low of the Kalapaki buoy mark,” Jordan said. “And Speedy who had continued on had taken the lift closer to the breakwater before tacking and they were now breathing down OZone’s neck. OZone tacked twice to get in front of Speedy and to make it around the buoy, but this cost them some valuable time as Bonjolea II continued to pull away.”
Bonjolea II took line honors and first place in the race on a corrected time of 59 minutes, 38 seconds. OZone followed in second place on a corrected time of 59:52. Speedy finished in the third spot with a time of 1:00:44, followed by Double Espresso at 1:03:09.
The next race, the Gene Wells Memorial, Race No. 5, takes place on Thursday, Oct. 3, when the first flags fly starting at 5 p.m.
